Can-body-side-seam-soldering machine.



'. RULPHK, @NUM [vh PL "QELL.

(,M EDDY SSDE 34E/1M SOLDFRING MACHINE.

Hummm FILED Auw 3, 19:1`

F, HUDULPHI, U. OSTLIN I M. E. WIDELL.

CAN Booy sms snm soLnEReNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IUIY 3,1911. y l l 1178,946. Ptenm Apr. u; um.

' Ismssf-sm-a; 2

RUDOLPHI, @OSTLIN L M. E. wrom.,

CAN BODY SIDE SEAM SOLDERING MACHNE.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 3l |9ll.

1l7846. Patented ma. El, iil

F. RUDOLPHI, U. USTUN L M. E. WIDEL'L.

CAN BODY SIE SAM SOLDEHING MACHINE.

APPUCATION HLED JULY 3, 911.

habil -i I HLIDOLPHI, U. OSTLIN 6I, M. E. WIDELL. JAN BODY SIDE SEAMsmnERlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 3,19II.

Patented Apr. I1, 1916.

l SHEETS-SHEFT 7.

UETTEE sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

FRANK RUDOLIHI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .AND OLAF OSTLIN AND MAGNUS E.WIDELL. OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQRS TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, F NEWYORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN -B CDY-SIDE-SEAM-SOLDERING MACHINE.

i 'Specicationof tetters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 191e.

' Application led July 3, 1911. Serial No. 636,659.

of New York, and OLAF OsTLIN and MAG-V NUs E. Vv'mELL, citizens of theUnited itate's, residing at Maywood, in the county of Cook audState ot'Illinois, have invented a new land useful Improvement-in Can- Bod ySide- Qcam Soldering Machines, of which the Jfollowing is aspecification. f

This invention relates to an improvement in can body machines of thegeneral type and character of that illustrated in the patent to FrankRudolphi, No. 956130, dated April 26, 1910. y

The improvement relates more particu larly to the means employed formoving the can bodies through the machine, past the soldering devicesand the wiper or device for removing the surplus solder. In thismachine, after the can body is formed and delivered to the horn by theusual means, each can is gripped by a gripping device carried by anendless chain in such manner as lo be held firmly against anypossibility of rotation by the action of any soldering devices, or anymanipulations incident to soldering, and carried continuously withoutpause until Ithe seam has been soldered and wiped and the can body isdischarged. In

= the most approved form of can body machines, of *which the Rudolphipatented machine above referred to is an example, the can body has beenmoved along the'horu by a reciprocating conveyer which moves the canbody a short distance at a time `with repeated impulses by engagementwith retractile dogs. The advantage ofthe continuous movement of anendless chain over this intermittent movement of the can bodies isnotonly a greater' simplicity of the actuating parts of the' machine, butalso the avoidance of uneven adherence of solder to the can, due to thestarting and stopping of the same while the melted solder is beingapplied by the soldering device.

A further advantage4 is the avoidance of any tendency to deform thecylindric shape of the can bodyby the means commonly used to hold thecan against rotation on the horn, in the present machine the can beingheld against rotation by the means which advances it continuously,namely, by the can body grippers carried at intervals by the chain, andgripping each can, continuously vuntil it is discharged from themachine.

A further advantage of the employment of the grippers, which holdthe'can firmly against any rotation, is that this firm holding enablesthe placing of a wiping wheel or roll diagonally or at an angle to theaxis of the can which operates to wipe the solder more efficiently andthoroughly from thc seam than is done by the employment of a wiperrotating in a plane parallel tothe can aXl'S.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front section of the machine,showing where the.. can body blank is fed into the machine, where itisformed, double seemed and delivered to the horn; Fig. 2 is acontinuation of the side elevatien shown in Fig. 1, and illustrates thesoldering bath, the wiper and a part of the cooling device and the meansfor conveying the can continuously past these stations; Fig. 3 is afurther continuation, showing the final end of the machine, the means ofdischarging a can from the continuous carrier and the supplementary canconveyor for carrying the cans to a bin or place of delivery; Fig. 4 isa vertical cross section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, showing the horninsection, the means for driving a solder bath roll and the beginning ofthe chain conveyor; Figl is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig.2., showing the horn, the solder roll, the solder bath, the means forheating .the solder bath and showing the.

conveyerchain in section; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6of Fig,A 2,' showing the revolving horn supportiltxg roll and thegearing for driving said roll, and also for driving the wiper. Fig. 7 isa vertical section, taken on line 7 -7 of Fig. 3, showing the finalrevolving roller for supporting the horn and the gearing for driving thecontinuously moving carrier chain; Fig. H is a partial plan view of thedriving mechanism, shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a partial section' on theline 9 9 of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a 'plan view of the reciprocating canblank feed for carrying the blank to the body former horn and forcarrying the formed can body from said former horn and delivering it tothe continuousnchain carrier; Figy 11 is a partial elevation upon asomewhat larger scale of the main or conveyin Fig. 12 is a sideelevation, upon a stil larger scale, ofA aportion of the carrying chainand showing one of the vgripping devices; l `ig. 13 is a verticalsection on the line 1f`13 of ["ig. 12; Fig. 14 is a partial plan View,showing the gearing for driving the solder bath roll and the mainlongitudinal driving shaft; Fig. 15 is a partial plan view,

showing the diagonal wiper and its driving gear; Fig. 16 is a verticalcross section on the line 16-16 of Fig. 3.

The can, body making machine shown in the :above ,lrawings embodies theusual feed device for feeding the can body blanks one by ono from :istack of them indicated at 21, an intermittently moving conveyer 22 formoving each blank first to the edge folding or hook forming devices,

then to anintermediate station between the hook formers and theusual'body fermer horn, and then to the body former horn, two pairs ofclam devices for clamping the ends of the blank during the edgefoldingoperation, an intermediate clamp for clamping the middle Iportionof the clamp during the hook forming' operation, edgey folders, anexpansible and collapsible body former horn arranged below the'guidesfor the can body blank, a clamp or device above the horn for clampingthe middle portion of the blank against the horn, bodyforr'neis aroundthe horn for -foldi'n g the can body blank around' the horn an'fl forcausing the oppositely tui-ned hooks or effige' folds on the blank torlap past each otlie'i' so that they will intcrengage as the hoi-nexpands to draw thc hooks together Midsize the' can body preparatory tothe bun'ipingor seam closing operation, a reciprocating bumper or seamclosing device fori closing the seam, and an intermittently movingconveyer 23 for moving'thc folded andbumped can body onto the solderinghorn 24, connected to the end of the body former horn. vBelow thesoldering horn is the usual fluxing or aciding device 25 and the usualmolten vsolder bath 26 containing arotating solder applying roller 27foi-applyingthe solder to the side seams of the can bodies 28; also ata. station farther along, lhereis a. rotary wiper 29 for removing thesurplussolderfrom the outside surface of the can,l body adjacent to .theseam. This i as will horn;

wiper 29, for more eifective action, is mounthorn 24 and the gearing 30,31 is adapted to l this angular position of the rotary wiper,

e seen by reference to Fig. 15. The rotarywiper, sw 31 is held yieldingy u surface of the can body means for continuously moving the can bodiesalong the soldering horn, over the soldering bath, past the rotary Wiperand to the final' discharge, consists of an endless lchain 33, providedat regular intervals with grippers 34. At the entering end of thesoldering horn this chain rides over the sprocket 35. At the leaving endof the horn, it rides over the sprocket 36. Referon the shaft of thegear against the under ring to Figs. 7 and 8, this latter sprocket 36 iscarried on the shaft 37, provided with the ear 38, meshing with the gear39 on the iaft 40, which latter shaft is driven by the bevel gears 41,42, the sprocket 43, chain 44 and sprocket 45 on the longitudinal mainshaft .46. This shaft 46 runs the length of the machine and is driven bythe bevel ears 47, 48, (Fig.` 1) sprocket 49, and chain 50 from theshaft 51, on which shaft is the band wheel 52 or m'ainA orl prime sourceof power in the machine. Turning for convenience to Fig. 11, it will benoted that the sprocket 36 is mounted on a slotted framework 53 securedto the frame of the machine by a bolt 54, so that any slack in thechai-n may be easily taken up as occasion may require. It will also benoted that attached to the s rocket 36 is the plate carrying the pins 55hereinafter described), which is cut away to permit free passage of thegrippers, cavities 56 being The chain 33 (Fig. 12) is composed of links57, 58 and a special gripper link'59. This gripper link 59 is made witha foot y60 having an inclined front ,edge 61. Pivoted to this gripperlink at 62 is the gripping clamp 63, having the swinging surface orgripping face (54, the guard extension 65 and the actuating projections66. As will be understood, each set of members 60 and 63constitutes apair of jaws adapted to grip the can and the guard extension G5, (whichas shown in the drawing is preferably formed integral with the member63), a pivotally mounted end or leg projecting can as the latter enterbetween the jaws, the

dog having its lower may be considered as y a weight 32. The

provided for this purpose.

across the p ath of the cans actuating the dog and the latter in turnactuating the member 63 to grip the cans. As will be understood, when acan body28 is firmly grippedbetwecn the foot piece 6() and the curvedgripping face 64, the for-y ivald pull of the chain will tend at alltiiiicS when in motion to tighten the grip.

When the grippeis are carried overthe where one of the grippe `thegripper riding upon the shaft sprocket 35, the actuating projections ortail pieces 66 of the gripper-s strike against the shaft 351 of thissprocket and being thus dragged backward, the mouth oi the gripper isopened as is indicated at Fig. 1l,

` in `the act of' passing this shaft. In this position, the gripper islirought against the of the can end by the movement of thev chain andthe can is thus strongly and iirmly gripped or embraced between theupper face of the foot 60 and the lower face of the swinging surface 64.y This engagement is suiliciently firm and secure so that neither therotary rubbing of the soldering roll in a direction at right angles tothe axis ot' the can, nor the rubbing of the wiper against the lowerperiphery of the can, at an angle, will cause the can to turn or becomeloosened from the hold of said gripper. So held, the cans conveyed alongover the horn by the movement of the chain until ythe tails of thegrippers strike the plate 6'( placed in their path von the stationaryframework of the machine, ata point near the end ot the soldering horn.As each gripper encounters thisvplate, its jaw is opened thereby and thegrip on the can released, the guard extension G5, however, still beingkept pressed against the can body to push the same alon g. The tail ofthe gripper rides under the said plate 67 for nearly or quite the lengthof a can body, pushing the can thus partly olf the horn, but just beforethe can body is discharged, the tail of'the gripper engages the pin 55on the sprocket 36 and this insures that the gripper shall not accideintally clamp the can to prevent its discharge from the horn. The cavities555 permit the grippers to ride around thc sprocket in the opencondition, and this ope conditi- 3" it it is not maintained. throw routthe re irn of the chain to the starting point, is ag u insured at thestarting point by the tail oi? the sprocket o5, as before explained.

When the can passes from the soldering horn, it falls on the extendedconveyer (3S (Fig. 7) driven b v the gearing G9. 7i). sprocket 7l, andchain 72, from the shaft 4G. The customary air cooling device.consisting of a pipey for blowing air upon the passing soldered can isindicated at T53. The rotary soldering roll 27 (Fig-4) is driven fromthe shaft vt6 by the gearing 74, 75, 7G, one of the sprockets 761, 762or 763 and chain 7T.

Referring to Figs. 11, 12, 13, the solder` ing horn 24 has at its upperpart in the member 241 a groove 2l2,-to accommodate thegripper foot andthe guard extensions of the gripper while holding the can.4

n0' horn shall be ca sable of removal to et at the said horn, and forother reasons. VIn the'present machine, this is accomplished by mountingthe double guiding frame 'i8 which carries the chain 83 and sprockets 35and 36 on a plurality'of bell crank levers 82, 83 and 84C, each of whichhas one arm pivoted to the stationary framework of the machine by thepivots 85, 86`and 87 respec tively. Each of the other arms of each ofthe bell crank levers is pivoted to an adjustable connectinggbarollwhich at one end is also pivot-ally connectedto an operatinff lever S8,the latter being pivotedV on, and

oseillatable about, the stationary pivot S7 whereby as the lever 8S isswung about the stationary pivot S7 the bell crank levers Si?, 83 andSi. will be swung about their respective pivot points 85, 86 and 87,thus raising the frame 78 andthe chain and'sprockets carried thereby.

The rotary wiper 29, set at an angle to the axis of the can to be wipedacts simultaneously both across and in line with the scam and this ismore effective in its removal and consequent saving of the solder. Theditliculty of drivingfrom the straight shatting of the machine such anangularly laced wiper in such manner as to permit the wiper to beWeighted is simply and effectively obviated by pivoting the wipercarriage T9 on the shaft 80 carrying the bevel gear wheel 31, whichshaft takes its power by the gearing 91, 92, sha-tt 93, and gearing 9i,95 from the main longitudinal shaft 46.

ln machines of this character, it is i1nportant to provide meanstoradjusting or changing the rotative speed of the soldering roller inrelation to the linealv travel of the 'cans over said soldering rollersince upon this relation depends thc character of the soldering done.Thisis simply and efi'ectively accomplished in the machine illustratcdby` providing several sprocket wheels ot' differing sizes, as 761, 762,763 on the shaft of the gear 76, from one to another or" which(littering wheels the chain 77y may be changed as desired, thusincreasing or diminishing the speedI of rotation of the soldering rollerin relation to the speed of rotation of the shaft 46 and consequently'in relation. to the lineal speed of travel of the cans carried `by thechain driven from said same shaft 46. To facilitate this changing of thechain from one size sprocket T61, 762, 763 to another,v the sprockets.and their gear 7G, are mounted on the arm 76%, pivoted on shaft ot theintermediate gears 74, 75, and having a slotted are 765 and locking nut766 for loosening and tightening the chain 77 by movin -the sprocketsaway from or toward the so dering roll.

Having described the invention, the following claims are made:

1. In a side seam soldering machine having a rotary soldering roller,the combination with means for carrying the cansY over the solderingroller and means for rotating said'rolle'r, of means for adjustablychanging the relation of the speed of rotation of the soldering rollerand the speed of lineal movement ofthe can carrying means. substantiallyas specified,

2. In a side seam soldering machine having a rotary soldering roller,the combination wlth means for carrying the cans over the solderingroller and means for rotating said roller, of means for adjustablychanging the `relation of the speed of rotation of the soldering rollerand the speed of lineal movement of the can carrying means, said meansfor changing the relative speed including a ch tin and a plurality ofdriving sprocket wheels of different diameters, substantially asspecified.

3. In a side seam soldering machine having a rotary soldering roller,the' combination with means for carrying the cans over the solderingrollerl .and means for rotating u said roller, of means for adjustablychanging the relation of the speed of rotation of the soldering rollerand the speed of lineal movement of the can carrying means, said meansfor changing the relative speed including a chain, a plurality ofdriving sprocket wheels ofdii'erent diameters and a swinging adjustablearm upon which said sprocket wheels are mounted, substantially asspecified.

4. In a side seam soldering machine having a solder bath over which thecans are adapted to be carried, the combination With a soldering hornalong which the cans are conveyed, of an endless chain having grippersfor carrying the cans, which grippers are provided with can-actuatedmeans whereby the said grippers are automatically caused to grasp theedge of the can body by the resistance of said body to longitudinalmovement, said endless chain being mou'nted on a movable framework,whereby the chain may be raised away from the soldering horn,substantially as specified.

5. In a side scam soldering machine having a solder bath over which thecans are adapted to be carried, the combination with a soldering hornalong which the cans are conveyed, of an endless chain having grippersfor carrying tile cans, said endless chain being mounted on a movableframework, whereby the chain may be raised away from the soldering horn,and raising .gripping action of the jaws.

means including a plurality of bell crank levers pivoted to thestationary frame of the machine and lto said movable framework,substantially as specified.

6. In a can body side seam soldering machine having a solder bath overwhich the cans are. adapted to be carried, the combination with a solderhorn along which the cans are conveyed, of an endless chain havinggrippers vfor carrying the cans, said chain being mounted on a movableframework, means for moving said framework away from the solder holrn,including a series of vbell crank levers pivoted t0 the stationary frameof the machine and to said movable framework, an operating lever and, aconnection from cach, of said bell craiik levers to the` operatinglever, substantially as specified. i

7. In a can body soldering machine having a solder bath, the combinationwith means for moving cans over said bath, of a rotary wiper rotatablein a plane intersectlng the axis of the can bodies and their line ofmotion at an ani-le less than ninety degrees. substantially asspecified. f

8. In a can body soldering machine having a solder bath, the combinationwith means for moving -the cans over said bath, said means including achain provided with grippers, of a wiper rotatable in: a planeat anangle to, and intersecting, the axes ofthe can bodies and their line ofbodily move-- 10. A gripping device comprising a pair of jaws capable ofrelative movement, one of said jaws having a cam-like gripping face tocooperate with the other jaw, .one of said jaws having means to hold itfromy turning. and one ofvsaid jaws having an arm which is engaged bythe article being gripped to automatically'. cause the cam 11. In asoldering machine of the-'charac-A` ter described,in combination: meansforiapplying solder to can bodies; a horn; means for moving can bodiesalong said horn; and a solder wiper device, Said device including apivotally mounted carrier having a rota.- tably mounted disk thereon andmechanism for positively rotating said disk, the disk being rotatable ina plane at an angle'to and intersecting the path of movement of the canbodies, substantially as specified. y

12. A traveling carrier having a device thereon for gripping cans or thelike,'com

binding a pivoted element having a -end of the can prising a pair ofrelatively movable jaws, one of said jaws having an arm which extendsacross the space between the jaws,

which arm is engaged by the cani when it is,

in position to be gripped, to automatically cause the gripping action ofthe jaws, and the other of said jaws being held from turning by saidcarrier. l

13. In a. soldering machine of the character described, in combination:a soldering horn; means for applying solder to can bodies while on `saidhorn; and means for moving can bodiesalong said horn including anendless conveyer provided with a plurality of can body grippingdevices,each gripping device .including a pivoted element having aprojection adapted to be engage by the end of a can body before the canbody is gripped, substantially as specified.

14. A gripping device comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaws, oneof said jaws having an arm which extends across the space between thejaws, which arm is engaged by the can body edge when it is in po sitionto be gripped, to automatically cause the grlpping action of the jaws,and the other of said jaws having means to hold it from turning.

15. In a soldering machine of the character described, in combination: asolder bath; a solder applying roller; a horn disposed adjacent saidroller; and means for moving can bodies along said horn, said meansincluding an endless conveyer provided with a plurality of spaced canbody gripping devices, each of said devices 1inprojection thereonadapted to be engaged by the body to thereby close the gripping device,substantially as specified.

IG. In a soldering machine of the character described, in combination:means for applying solder to can bodies; and means for moving can bodiesin a path adjacent said solder applying means and including an endlessconveyer and a mmfably mounted framework by which said conveyer iscarried, whereby the endless conveyer is mov- -able toward and from thesolder applying means; substantially as Specified.

17. In a soldering machine of the character described, in combination: asolder bath; a horn along which can bodies are adapted to move; a seriesot grippers arranged parallel with the horn for holdm ing and moving thecan bodies; means for moving the grippers along the horn; and handoperated mec anism connected with the grippers and their moving means,which is operable at will to raise tbc grip pers as a series away 'fromthe horn.

1S. In a soldering machine of the char` acter described, in combination:a solder horn.; a solder bath located adjacent ther etc; a solder rollhaving its axis parallel to the lsuccess-aively to said side scam horn;a conveyer for moving can bodies along said horn; and means foradjustably changing the relative rotatable speed ot the solder roll andthe lineal speed of the can bodies being moved along said horn;substantially as specified.

19. A conveyer of the character described comprising a longitudinallyextending sup'- porting bar, an endless conveyer extending above saidsupporting bar. a sustaining means for said conveyer including a snpnporting wheel atl one end ol said endless conveyer, releasing devicesmounted upon sairl wheel and-positioned diamctrically oppos te eachother, can holding devices carried by the endless conveyer. the distancebe .veen the holding devices being equal to that be tween the releasingdevices whereby the holding devices will be positioned in alinement withthe releasing devices passing` around the wheel` the releasing devicesdisconnecting the cans from the holding de v1cesl1pon reaching the endsoi the supporting bars.

20. traveling carrier having a device thereon for gripping cans or thelike, comprislng a pair ot pivotally connected jaws one of which isattached to the carrier and the other of which has an arm which extendsacross the space between the jaws tofbe engaged by the can body edge,and means for throwing the said arm forward, when the can body is to bereleased, to eject the same trom the jaws.

21. ln a machine of the class described, the combination ot meznis forinternally supv porting can bodies co'iweycr means, movable always inthe saine direction having means for preventing the can bodies tromrotating. and a continuoasl',Y rotating; solder roll, said solder rollhaving' an axialiy elongated sur.- face and rotatable about an axisparallel to the line ct travel of the cans as same are moved by theconveying means, said inten nall y supporting nie-a ns and saidcontinuously movable conveyer means being adapted to convey can bodiesadjacent to said solder roll` whereby the side scams of said bodies arefilled with molten solder, substantially as specified.

2Q. In a machine oli the "nss described the combination olf side seamsoldining means, including a continuously rotating solder roll innnersedin molten solder, a means for wiping surplus freshly soldered side Seamand a means for cooling the soldered side seam, a can body supportadapted to supportcans in transit l soldering ineens. .said viping meansand said cooling,P means. a conveyor having means 'for pre.-

cans from turning and movable always in the same direction, forconveyingr cans along id supporting means adjacentto said solder roll,whereby the side seams soder from a are filled with molten solder,adjacent to said wiping means, whereby the surplus solder is wiped fromthe freshly soldered side seams and adjacent said coolin means wherebythe soldered and wiped seam is cooled, substantially as specified.

23. In a side seam soldering machine, the combination of a solder bathover which the cans are adapted to be carried, a horn for supporting andguiding the cans, means for applying solder from the said bath to theseams ot the cans, an endless chain, means for mounting and actuatingthe same par7 allel with the said horn, and automatically actinggrippers each comprising two jaws pivotally connected, one of which jawsis FRANK RUDOLPHI. OLAF OSTLIN. MAGNUS E. WIDELL.

Witnesses for Mr. Rudolphi:

W. D. FOSTER, C. W. GRAHAM. Witnesses for Mr. Ostlin and Mr. W idellPEARL ABRAMS, ESTHER ABRAMS.

